Brain regions associated with memory shrink as adults age and their size decreases more among people who go on to develop neurodegenerative disease. The volume reduction is linked with an overall decline in cognitive ability and with increased genetic risk for Alzheimer’s disease, say the researchers. “Our results identify a specific pattern of structural brain changes that may provide a possible brain marker for the onset of Alzheimer’s disease,” says Nathan Spreng, assistant professor of human development at Cornell University.